Sweet and Spicy Winter Squash Recipe

As the leaves turn rusty orange and we all go off to work in the dark, lovely winter squashes start appearing at the farmers markets. Winter squash like acorns, butternuts, buttercups, and kabochas are lovely in soups, pastas, stews and can be used in almost any recipe. In fact they are so nice in things that I rarely ever just make a squash dish. A travesty really, but I am working on it. Well, when I saw a delicious recipe recipe on Tastespotting it was meant to be.

It was pouring outside and I didn’t want to venture any further to get the ingredients I was lacking, so I improvised but it turned out fabulous. The combination of the spicy chiles, garlic and the honey goes perfectly with the nuttiness of the squash. This recipe would work well with any similar winter squash.

Print Recipe

Sweet and Spicy Winter Squash

(serves 2- 4)

1 Kabocha Squash

3 dried thai chiles,

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon minced parsley

pinch of salt and pepper

2 tablespoons minced sweet red pepper

1 teaspoon olive oil

4 teaspoons honey

2 teaspoons butter

Preheat oven to 350F. Wash the squash and cut in halves or quarters depending on size. Put squash skin side down on a baking sheet. Put chiles in a mortar and pestle and crush. Add garlic, parsley, and a good pinch of salt and pepper and combine. Add olive oil and red pepper and give a few more turns to make a rough paste. Coat inside of each of the squashes with the mixture. Spoon two teaspoons of honey into each half. Bake for 90 minutes, checking on the squash every twenty minutes or so and spooning the juices in the middle onto the sides and edges. When cooked add a dollop of butter in each half and serve as it melts.

Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cooking Time: 90 minutes | Total Time:95 minutes